


beyond the fog

by VegetaLGBT



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Childhood Friends, Demons, Dragons, Fairy Tale Elements, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Knights - Freeform, M/M, Mutual Pining, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-09
Updated: 2020-07-11
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:48:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25155754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VegetaLGBT/pseuds/VegetaLGBT
Summary: There is a whole world out beyond Wyndon. Raihan knows that Leon has always dreamed of seeing it. It's all the boy has talked about ever since he met him some many years ago. Yet he is still surprised when bright gold eyes shine on him and hold out his hand imploringly at him in the dead of the night, "C'mon Rai-Rai, I'm leaving tonight!"His Prince was going to be the death of him, he was sure.
Relationships: Dande | Leon/Kibana | Raihan
Comments: 2
Kudos: 40





	1. raihan: starting

**Author's Note:**

> hrrdrr fanatasy plot machine goo brrr. Prologue chapter for something i have very loosely planned out. This chapter is short, but the rest will be longer. Thank you for clicking on my story and hope you enjoy! (*^‿^*)

“Don’t stop! Keep swinging, ya hear me?!” 

Raihan scowled from where he was doing his exercises, but didn’t break form. He angled his head ever so slightly, hoping the Head Knight wouldn’t catch the slant of his mouth. 

The Head Knight looks him up and down, apparently finding nothing to be concerned with, and turns himself away. Raihan can not see who is approaching, but there aren’t too many people it would be with the way the Head Knight is currently breaking his back to bend over in a show of respect and greeting. 

“My Prince!” Raihan’s eyes rove over to the side and sure enough, Leon is standing in front of the Head Guard, who is now upright again, in all his purple haired glory. “Is there something I may help you with, my liege?” His voice drips with saccharine sweetness and it makes Raihan want to roll his eyes. 

Where the hell did all of that go when dealing with his oh so _beloved_ knights.

(Mainly him.) 

“Hmm somewhat...I must be taking your knight over there for the rest of the day if you will.” Leon’s smile was sweet and the curve of his eyes gentle, as if he wasn’t asking for something quite outlandish.

(By the Head Knight’s standards anyway, if the way he was visibly struggling not to throw a small fit in front of the Crown Prince.) 

“Huh? Surely not this one?” He takes a moment to gesture behind him as if there is anybody _but_ Raihan there. As if he hadn’t dismissed the rest of the knights two hours ago. The git. “Because of some difficulties during today’s training I have to hold this one back.” 

Leon tilted his head charmingly at the Head Knight. “Surely, you can spare this knight to your prince, can you not?” While the sweet smile was still plastered to his face, his tone left room for no arguments to be made. 

The Head Knight hears this in Leon’s tone as well and swallows a displeased grunt. He turns to Raihan with a barely hidden sneer on his countenance. “You’re dismissed, knight. No fooling around on my ground next time.” 

“Sir.” Raihan barely has his own returned dismissal out before The Head Knight is stomping away. 

He watches as the older man retreats and lets out a sigh when the man finally disappears from his line of sight. None too soon, he tries to hold himself back from doubling over completely when Leon slaps a hand on his back, as he usually does. “So, what did you do today to end up in the doghouse?” Leon asks as if Raihan is not in the middle of trying not to collapse onto the floor.

On a normal day it wouldn’t have been a problem. While Leon may be growing up into a brick house- he barely ever works out too, it’s just genetics. Lucky bastard- Raihan had roughly the build of the twig. Despite training as a knight, he had never been able to build up quite the mass that Leon does and his body was much more sinewy muscles rather than solid form of his best friend. Even so, Raihan is strong and he can usually stand a slap on the back.

But combined with the rigorous training today followed by more vehement exercises for his “disobedience,” it’s almost enough to make him just want to fall onto the cool dirt and not get up. 

“Didn’t do nothing,” Raihan tells him as he pulls himself up straight. He grimaces as he realizes he _still_ has to look up at Leon despite hitting a growth spurt recently. “Just the other knights being sour as usual.”

Because really that was all any of these incidents boiled down into. The other knights all had at least six years onto Raihan’s sixteen years of age. One wouldn’t think so with the way he sends them arse over tit training session after training session. 

Raihan _hated_ being a knight.

Raihan could see it in their eyes, the way his excellence made a fire burn in their belly. Unable to best him in combat, they had to resort to being literal children. 

The knight in particular who had it out for him complained to the Head Knight that Raihan had kicked up dirt in his eyes so he was _cheating._

It made little sense to Raihan considering two things.

One being that he had done absolutely nothing of the sort. Everybody watching their duel had seen that he had done absolutely nothing of the sort. _The Head fucking Knight saw he had done absolutely nothing of the sort._

The second point being that the knight complained about fucking cheating of all things. Honor means absolutely _nothing_ out on the field when you’re fighting for your life. Anybody who believed otherwise was likely dead. 

Yet, it didn’t matter what _Raihan_ thought. Not when it was him against the rest of the guard. 

Leon looks contemplatively at Raihan before smiling and grabbing his hand. “You shouldn’t concern yourself with that lot. They’ll be sorry when you’re the one telling them what to do.” 

Raihan frowns at him. “No they won’t dummy, I’m going to be too busy trailing after you so you don’t get lost.” 

Raihan was the most talented of any of the current recruits. As such, when Leon was officially crowned he would be his personal knight. Being the personal knight of the king did technically put him in rank over the Head Knight, his priority would be Leon. He’d be out with the knights sometimes, but those times would be scarce. 

Leon only laughs and grasps Raihan’s hand tighter in his as he pulls them away from the deserted training area. “Come on. I found a book in the library today about how to call on dragons! I want to try it over by the cliffs!” 

The knight can’t help but let out a short bark of a laugh. “Dragons? Seriously? Nobody has seen dragons in _forever._ ” 

Leon smiles and tilts his head just so, not unlike how he made short work of the Head Knight just a little bit earlier. “Then we’ll just have to be the first to see them again, yea? We can probably hitch a ride on one out of Wyndon!” 

Raihan hated being a knight, but any moment he got to spend with Leon made it worth it. He especially likes it when the other boy regales him with dreams of running away. It is nothing but that, a dream. Raihan likes to listen regardless.

(It never fails to make warmth shoot through him at the fact that all over his dreams have a place where Raihan fits in.)

He can’t resist the smile that pulls across his face. “Yea, sure Lee..” 

  
  
  


*****  
  
  


They didn’t end up seeing any dragons, as Raihan expected. Leon had the audacity to look thoroughly disappointed by the fact when they finally made to leave, as if the loon really thought they were going to see one. 

Thinking of his potent disappointment now makes Raihan smile to himself from where he is laid out in his quarters. 

Raihan shifts and looks up at the night sky feeling an itch beneath his skin. 

He ignores it.

It’s a feeling deep inside, he always gets. Something begging him to let go always. He can never fathom what it is, but he always resists the urge. Sometimes he can’t help but wonder what would happen if he did _let go._ If he were to just _give in_ just one time. 

He looks back out at the moon and nearly jumps right out of his skin when bright golden eyes are staring back at him from where there was none before. Now that he is not zoning out, Raihan can also hear the other teen knocking on his window. 

Raihan sits up and hurries to open the window, if only to stop that incessant knocking. “Leon. What are you doing here!” He hisses, unconcerned with his volume. 

He usually slept in the bunks with five other knights. They were all out somewhere, doing something. He didn’t know and he didn’t care. Especially because they never went out of their way to invite him. He has better things to do than get upset about not being buddy buddy with knights who spend all their time making his life as miserable as possible. 

Leon’s smile is bright as ever as he leans over the frame of the window. “C’mon get up!” 

Raihan frowns. “No Leon, I can’t keep dragon calling, I have training tomorrow.” He’d love to shirk on his duties for a night with Leon, but he has to always be at his best for training. If he thinks things are bad when he’s at his best, the last thing Raihan wants to do is slip up in front of everyone else. No wondering what kind of hell that would get him into. 

But Leon shakes his head and frowns as if Raihan had said something particular stupid. It irks Raihan into sitting up so he can press on a bit more. “Seriously Leon, what makes you th-” Raihan cuts off as he spots something on Leon’s shoulder. 

It’s a sack, a pretty stuffed one from the look of it. 

Raihan feels strangely detached as he looks back at Leon’s face. “Lee, what’s going on?”

“C’mon Rai-Rai, I’m leaving tonight!” 

Huh. 


	2. leon: stepping out

Leon makes it a point to never waste time over complicating his words. He dislikes it immensely when Regent Rose drones on and on and _on._ It’s made even worse by the fact that man usually has his point summed up in about two to three sentences, but it has to be parsed from many more sentences of dull chatter about absolutely everything and nothing at all. 

Leon knows it can probably make him come off as a bit dim-witted himself, but he thinks he’s making everybody else's lives so much easier by not speaking in tongues. 

Because of this he can’t quite understand the confusion that steals over Raihan’s face when he tells the other teen he’s leaving. 

“What? You’re _leaving_? What are you talking about?”

Leon huffs. His choice of words wasn’t complicated in the least. “Only what I’ve been talking to you about for all the time we’ve been friends.” Raihan has to know what he’s talking about; they’ve been friends for a _long_ time. 

Raihan looks at him apprehensively for a bit, looking like he’s searching for something. His mouth goes a bit slack-jawed as he finds whatever it is he was looking for. “You’re serious…?” 

“Of course! Tonight’s the night!” He hefts the travel sack on his bag up to emphasis that he’s already full packed. 

Raihan visibly struggles with something for a bit, a few halting sounds coming from him before he squares his shoulders and glares at Leon. “Why didn’t you tell me?” 

“It would be suspicious if all of your belongings were just mysteriously gone and your part of the barracks was empty.” He reasons. “It shouldn’t take you too long to pack your stuff anyway.” 

“Yea? And how do you know I just won’t leave you to go off by yourself?” Raihan asked, his bottom lip jutting out petulantly. 

And Leon can only laugh at that question. “You wouldn’t leave me alone to get lost.” 

All of the fight goes out of Raihan’s shoulders and Leon knows he’s won him over completely. 

“You’d probably end up in the Glimwood Tangle, or even Kalos if I left you by yourself,” Raihan agrees, running a hand through his dreadlocks. 

“Not if I have you around.” For some reason that statement makes Raihan whip around and Leon can’t make out the expression on his face anymore. 

He crosses his arms to lean on the window as he watches Raihan pack weapons, and any materials he might need for their journey. Something must occur to him as he picks up a map because he turns back to Leon, face twisted in confusion. 

“Where exactly are you going…?” Raihan walkes over to the windowsill and nudgedsLeon’s arms back so he can lay out the map in front of him. 

Leon moves his thumb across the map to show the route he’s been planning. “Heading straight out _is_ an option. But, I thought we could head out east. We could rest and make a raft to go down for a trip to Motostoke!”

“Motostoke huh…”

“Yes! In fact, if we make good time we can maybe even stop in Turrfield and Hulberry..” 

“Hmm, I actually _do_ have a friend over in Hulberry. It’s been a while since I’ve seen her..” 

“Then we’ll just have to stop there, no trouble at all!” 

Raihan purses his lips as he continues the map, looking a bit disgruntled about something. It must not be too important or much or a problem because he sighs not a scant second later and continues to gather his belongings. 

Silence settles over them for a bit and Leon takes the chance to continue studying the map. He knows that if Raihan were to look at him right now, he’d have a stupid grin plastered across his face. And why shouldn’t he? He’s about to go on the trip he’s been dreaming about for years with his very best friend!

 _Though,_ Leon thinks to himself idly as he looks up to Raihan, whose expression is carefully blank tightening the strings on his travel pack; _he doesn’t seem as excited as I thought he’d be._

Leon hopes it’s nothing but nervous jitters for the other teen, but he can’t help the seed of doubt that’s planted in his stomach for the time being. 

“Alright,” Raihan starts as he adjusts his clothes. “The blokes on duty tonight for the east section aren’t very dedicated. They also usually tend to get wasted near the end of their shift. If we’re lucky we can make it there when they’re proper plastered.” 

“That would be ideal..” Leon takes a step back from the window as Raihan makes to climb out. The prince takes a second to wonder at how Raihan didn’t even attempt to make it look as if he was just a sleeping lump or something of the sort. Raihan rolls his eyes when Leon voices his disbelief. 

“Trust me, these lot were waiting for the day I would up and leave. Doesn’t much matter whether they know I’m here or not. Nevermind that, you have everything you need right?”

Leon nods in affirmation as he tilts his head down to look into Raihan’s eyes. The knight had always been the shorter of the two growing up, but with the way he had been shooting up lately, Leon wouldn’t be surprised if Raihan was the same height or taller by the time they made their way back to Wyndon. 

Leon is snapped out of his musing when he feels a small pebble hit his shoulder. Startled, he turns to see Raihan already making his way down towards the path. He is glad for the dark of the night because Leon can feel his face flushing at the realization he had most definitely just been standing and staring at Raihan. 

“Well come on now! We can’t stand here all night and wait for the wind to blow us down to Motostoke!” Raihan teases with a smirk. 

“Of course!” Leon jogs a bit to catch up with Raihan and smiles easily at him as they fall into step. 

“By the way..” Leon looks over at Raihan questioningly. “How’d you find your way to me?...Ya know..the barracks?” Raihan asks with a small wave behind him. 

Leon hums in acknowledgement as he considers Raihan’s question. “That’s just…” He shrugs eventually. “I guess-It was just easy to find?” He flounders a bit for a proper answer. Leon is no stranger to his own sense of direction, and even he is a bit surprised it didn’t take him longer to reach the barracks. 

Raihan makes a curious noise. “Hmm, is that right?” 

Leon nods and herds their conversation into a different direction for some idle chatter. 

  
  
  


*****

  
  
  


There are two places that Leon assuredly will never get lost; two places he can always find.

Leon knew that preparing for this journey was going to be somewhat of a pain. Having to pack things away not only from his room, but supplies that in other parts of the castle that he has trouble finding his way to on a good day. That, combined with the extra trouble of having to hide these things in a place he could easily get to, wasn’t exactly what he’d call a particularly fun experience. 

Considering this and the fact that he was being extra careful in not wanting to get caught, it had taken him a solid month or two to get ready from when he finally decided he wanted to make this journey. 

On the morning of the day he intends to set out, Leon finds himself standing in front of his mother’s room. Coming here has never been too much trouble. 

When he pushes the door open and sees his mother slowly turn towards his direction with hazy eyes, he knows today will be a Bad Day for her. 

Nevertheless he takes a seat next to her bed and holds one of her hands in both of his. “Hi, mum.”

He swallows down the lump in his throat at the faraway look she gives him, as if she’s not entirely sure of whether or not he’s really there. “Me and Raihan are going to be heading out tonight.” He’s never really felt all too uncomfortable talking to her like this, he doesn’t have to worry about her reaction to him leaving Wyndon for any amount of time unofficially. 

That’s how it usually is; today he finds that he can barely find the words to say. 

There is a pause. 

“You shouldn’t worry. You used to worry a lot when-” He cuts himself off abruptly. Leon knows his mother is probably barely registering a word of what he’s saying, but he can’t risk reminding her of something that weighs heavily on both of them. The sadness that comes over her when she is reminded is _unbearable._ “You shouldn’t worry,” He repeats quietly. 

“Me and Raihan, we can look out for each other. We’ll stay together, so you don’t have to worry.” In the back of his mind, he registers that it’s been a while since she’s actually seen Raihan. He makes a small mental note to bring him around sometime for when they get back. “I won’t be long mum...” 

He trails off and looks down to where he is holding her hand. He leans down to say a prayer when he notices just how thin her wrist has become. 

When soft fingers caress through his hair he fights hard against the prick of tears he feels. He looks to see his mother now looking off in a different direction, a small smile playing on her face. When he looks to the direction she is staring at, he sees nothing but an empty corner of a room in need of some dusting. 

What he wouldn’t give to be where she is right now. It’s probably someplace pleasant. 

Just under her breath, he can hear her humming a gentle tune, one she used to use to soothe him to sleep. 

He relishes in the moment until her hand tiredly drags itself away from his mane minutes later. 

“I’ll return soon, I promise.” Standing up, he delivers a brief kiss to her forehead before making to leave. 

It is still early, and Regent Rose has not sent for him yet. Actually now that Leon thinks about it, he’s almost sure that the Regent might have departed some time late into the night so that he could return around afternoon today. With time to spare he means to go to the stables, but ends up in the library instead. 

It doesn’t end up being too much of a loss. He finds a neat book on dragons and ends up exploring it for the rest of the afternoon with Raihan by his side. 

He returns to his room briefly when they split for the day to expertly stuff the last of the supplies he wants to take with him in between his clothes. It isn’t long before he finds himself standing outside two familiar graves on the burial grounds. Leon stares dolefully at the letters on the headstone etched out to make his father’s name; he can barely bring himself to look at the letters on the headstone next to it that spell out his brother’s name. It’s another place he never has trouble finding his way to.

His father had died suddenly some years back. His brother as well. Though they could only find the body of his father.

His mother fell into sickness not too long after, unable to hold herself up in the grief brought on in the aftermath. He knows that there is an altar inside the castle; a room with portraits of the many leaders of Wyndon. Leon feels strangely empty looking at the portraits. For Leon, having nothing but his memories while he looked at a blank headstone was much less stressful than examining the portrait stroke by stroke and lamenting that no painting could perfectly capture the entity of a person in a way that encompassed the whole of their life. 

If he was struggling to find words earlier when he was with his mum, he is absolutely drowning in an attempt to find anything to say in front of his father’s and brother’s graves.

In the end he clasps his hands together for a short prayer. “Please watch over us. Please bring us to back to each other and back home safely,” he whispers into the silence of the night. 

He sits in front of the graves for a bit, letting idle memories of a past long gone wash over him for a bit. 

When he’s ready to leave, Leon goes around to the back of the graves and digs up the pack he had been preparing for the trip. He stuffs the last few items in there before strapping it to his person and heading to the barracks to get Raihan. 

  
  
  
  


*****

  
  
  


“Lee. Leeeeeeee, come _onnnn_ ,” Raihan whines. 

Leon continues to stare into startlingly yellow eyes that blink back at his own gold ones. He tilts his head to the side a bit and watches his move be mirrored. A groan is heard from behind him. 

He takes a step forward and watches with way more glee than he probably should as the owl on the low branch in front of him, puffs up defensively. 

He takes another step forward and it puffs up even more.

Emboldened, he moves to take another step forward and halts in surprise as it loudly starts snapping its beak at him. 

“ _Lee_.” 

Leon takes a few steps back in defeat. “Alright, alright I give.” He holds up his hands placatingly as he backs up from the owl, relieved to see it calm down, though its haunting yellow gaze never leaves his person. 

He can’t help but continue to look at it as he backs up, which is how he ends up waving his arms around to catch himself, nearly falling over a rock in his retreat from the avian. 

A muffled laugh resounds through the night and he huffs as he whips around to glare at his friend. 

That only earns him a snort as Raihan casually puts his hands behind his head. “Serves you right you dork.” 

Leon only looks at him contemplatively. More specifically how sturdy Raihan’s travel pack is. 

Raihan, noticing this, scowls. “What are you looking at me like that for?”

Leon knows for a fact his pack is pretty sturdy and can handle a bit of a tumble. It looks like Raihan’s can as well. 

Now the other teen crosses his arm and takes a step back. “What’s going through that big head of yours Lee?” 

Leon says nothing and only _smirks_.

Raihan’s eyes widen as he realizes what’s about to happen and plants his feet in the dirt. “Don’t you da-”

But it’s too late. Leon has already sprinted forward to take a running leap at Raihan. He gets a surprised yelp that soon turning into laughter mixing in with his own as they go tumbling down the hill. 

And when they get to the bottom-

Raihan grunts as his body is planted firmly in the dirt under Leon’s. He looks up at him through narrowed eyes. “I hate it when you do that…” He mumbles grumpily. 

Leon laughs. He can hear sputtering as he leans his forward into the motion of laughing, no doubt some of his hair getting caught in Raihan’s mouth. “Only because I always win! I always win at everything!” And Leon doesn’t mean to sound conceited, but it’s just the simple fact of the matter.

Granted when not saying that with relevance to only Raihan, he more so means dueling. The sun would probably turn the same shade as his hair before he’d be caught tumbling down a hill with The Head Knight or something. 

While he didn’t directly train with the other knights, Leon did train. When he becomes King, anybody has the right to challenge him for the throne should they think he isn’t doing right by the people. 

As of right now though, Raihan is the only one who’s ever come _remotely_ close to beating Leon in any sort of match involving weapons. 

Leon lets out a grunt as Raihan shoves him back so he can get up. When he looks up he can see the other boy grinning, fangs and all, at him, a fire in his eyes. “You just wait Lee. I’m gonna send ya tits up one of these days!” 

“I eagerly await the day you do.” And Leon means that. Fighting Raihan has always lit a fire in his belly in a way that no one else could. He always looked forward to their matches; it was a truly freeing experience for Leon. 

Raihan hums and offers Leon a hand, which he takes all too eagerly. Leon is about to brush himself off before Raihan suddenly pulls him along. 

His heart beats in excitement as he considers where the knight could be leading him. “Oh? Are we almost past the patrol point?”

Leon is happy to note the hint of excitement he can hear in Raihan’s voice as he answers. “Yea, just over here!” He whispers as they make their way over to where the guards are stationed. 

True to Raihan’s earlier predictions, they are not just plastered, if the pink of their face was anything to go by, but they were _completely passed out._

It was a good thing that there weren't many threats to Wyndon. A _really_ good thing. 

_That’s probably what influenced their lax behavior,_ Leon thinks as he grimaces at their forms. 

Raihan, beside him, scoffs with an emotion Leon can only describe as _disappointed but not surprised._ “Won’t be too hard to get past these sorry blokes I’m guessing,” he sneers. 

“No it won’t…” A beat passes before Raihan shakes Leon's shoulders. “Hey Lee. We can’t just leave them here.”

Leon doesn’t fight the frown that pulls across his face. “Why should we help them?” Leon doesn’t consider himself to be a mean person or someone who holds grudges, but he did not care for the knights. He didn’t care for anybody who would be nasty towards Raihan. Actually he’s a bit surprised because he was sure Raihan didn’t care much for them either. 

Did he have some kind of sympathy for them from just working together?

Leon didn’t personally understand, but then again he always did think Raihan was a better person. The best person, really. 

In his musing, he barely noticed when Raihan walked away and came back. He looked in surprise at the berries gathered in his friend’s arm and the absolutely _devilish_ grin on his face. He watches as Raihan lays the berries in the dirt, takes one in his palm, and promptly _smashes it._

Leon watches on in fascination as Raihan fights to hold back laughter, using a finger to wipe up some of the thick berry juice from the palm and proceeds to use it to _draw_ on one of the slumbering knight’s faces. 

When he pulls back there is a ridiculous looking mustache and a beard no sane person would _ever_ sport in real life. 

Raihan gleams at what seems to be the beginning of his handiwork and turns to Leon. 

Leon grins wildly in return and takes a berry of his own to smash. He’s never been much of an artist, but what can an artist do with a canvas, but play on it. 

He’s sure they both look like fools trying to hold back full body laughter from something so childish, but Leon can’t find it in himself to care all that much. 

  
  
  


*****

  
  
  


“Lee, do you mind starting a fire?” 

Leon looks up from where he is washing some dirt out of his hair by the river. “Just a sec!”

Raihan and Leon quickly made haste from the patrol point once they were done giving the knights a new look. They had been jogging at an even pace for some time before Leon got the _brilliant_ idea to tackle Raihan down the hill, and pin him again. 

(Raihan thinks it was awful. There were many more small rocks on this particular hill which didn’t make for a very fun tumble apparently. Leon begs to disagree as, not only did win again of course, but it put them right near a river. A perfect place to set up camp for the night and their ultimate goal anyway.

Raihan grumbles that they could’ve easily _walked down_ the hill, but where’s the fun in that?)

The river was a bit ferocious though. And Leon was fairly sure there was a split and a waterfall in it just a ways ahead. They’d have to trek a bit in the morning to make it to the part of the river they could safely raft down, but it wouldn’t be too big of a deal. 

Leon takes a piece of meat out that he packed. Just the one piece though. He knew that taking more would be asinine as it would be spoiled by morning, but he figured they could have a bit of a treat for their first night together. 

He’s giddy as he recounts their short journey so far. He can’t imagine anybody else he’d rather be wi-

“Hey, can you stop smiling at nothing and light the fire already?”

“You know maybe _you_ could try lighting the fire Rai-Rai.” 

Raihan glowers at the suggestion. “I don’t really think I should try right now..”

Leon wholeheartedly agrees somewhere in the back of his mind and waste no further time in lighting the fire. 

*****

Raihan’s magic is….weird. 

Most people have an affinity for magic in some way shape or form. It could be used in battle or to make life a bit easier. Most people are able to use it to make their life easier as it takes a lot of training to be adept to the point of being able to use it in battle. 

When Leon concentrates he can feel a small leyline running under the area they’re in, so he won’t have to tap into his own reserves of magic. 

It didn’t matter much since all he was doing was lighting a small fire. It was a comfort nonetheless, but a small fire was simple and easy.

Well, if you weren’t Raihan anyway.

It’s not that Raihan can’t use magic, or is bad at it. It’s just….weird.

Leon thinks Raihan has an affinity for fire, but it doesn’t work well. He has been with Raihan and they’ve tried to figure out his magic several times to no avail. 

The last time the other teen tried to light a fire, it didn’t work. The first time it happened, Leon chalked it up to Raihan just not having magic. Rare, but it happened sometimes. If anything it had made Leon appreciate Raihan’s strength all the more. It was hard to be a true fighter without magic.

But then Raihan had just tried harder. There was still no fire, but Leon remembers it becoming _hot._ Raihan pushed harder, looking like he was about to pop a blood vessel, and then it became _unbearably_ hot. Leon had been _sure_ he was going to _melt_ into the ground from the heat.

Then the bush in front of them had set itself on fire. They both became startled and the temperature returned to normal. 

Something similar happened on every occasion Leon tried to help Raihan with his magic and he couldn’t make heads or tails of it. Neither could Raihan, he rarely attempted to tap into his magic anymore. 

Leon wasn’t entirely sure of whether or not it had become something of a sore spot for Raihan, or if he was just content not being adept with his magic. He should ask, but he was never sure how to bring up the topic without appearing like he was pitying him. 

*****

“Hey Lee, do you still have any of the berries we got earlier?” 

“No. I was holding onto some but they got squished or lost down the hill,” he at least has the decency to look sheepish at the admission. 

Raihan sighs and gives him a pointed look over the fire where the meat is cooking. “Oh did you now?” He drawls out in the _least_ sympathetic voice Leon has probably ever heard from him. 

“Listen! W-” He cuts himself off as he hears a rustle nearby. He pauses and looks over and quickly goes back to their meat, which now was beginning to take on a nice char. He forgets whatever he was saying before as the smell hits him. “Finished already? Ace!” 

“Hey! Leave some for me!”

The boys bicker lightly as they eat their fill for the night.

Leon is just finishing off his piece when he hears another rustle again. He looks over again, but stares just a little bit harder than last time. 

“Lee?”

He turns back to Raihan with a frown on his face. “Rai-Rai, you didn’t hear that?”

“Hear what?” Raihan looks up and towards the direction Leon was just examining. Both of them stare for a minute but nothing happens. Raihan tuts as he continues to look on. “Losing it on the first night Lee? How will we ever make it through the rest of this trip?”

Leon turns back to blow his tongue out at him. “Sorry for trying to be vigilant!” 

Raihan turns back with a retort on his tongue before he suddenly seizes up. Face frozen as he looks at Leon. No. Past Leon’s shoulders. 

That was odd. Leon makes to turn around but is stopped by Raihan’s voice. “Leon. Don’t move.” 

The tone of voice Raihan says this in immediately sets him on edge. “What? What is it?” he presses.

He can barely make out Raihan swallowing before he speaks again. “Leon, when I say run, you need to get up, grab your pack and _run._ ”

A chill goes down Leon’s spine as he gets a faint idea of what’s happening. He nods subtly, muscles taut as he prepares to launch up from where he is seated. Behind him, he can hear the sounds of low growling. 

“Run!” Leon jolts up like he had been electrocuted. He runs past Raihan just as he makes to kick the wood from the fire they were burning. Leon hears the sounds of growls, whining and _angrier_ growls. 

Wind rushes past him and he races towards Arceus knows where. When he chances a glance behind him he is glad to see Raihan, right foot slightly singed, keeping pace behind him. 

He _is not_ so glad to see the two wolves hot on their trail. 

It’s bizarre. 

They had probably come, smelling the meat that they had been cooking. Only now they were probably only smelling the food from Leon and Raihan since they had ate all of it already, which makes them pretty viable dinner options to the angry canines chasing them right now. 

Even knowing that, Leon still can’t help but think about just _how bizarre_ it is. Becau-

His breath catches when he feels himself trip over a rock and tip over to the side.

_Oh no no no._

He waves around wildly, trying to catch purchase of something, _anything._

Raihan catches up with him and Leon manages to grab his arm, but that only helps in pulling the other teen down with him into the rushing waters of the river. 

Water floods his vision as they are submerged. It’s dark. It’s _so_ dark, he can’t see anything. Where is he? Where is _Raihan?_

He feels something tug him up and he doesn't resist. 

He lets out a loud gasp when he breaks the surface of the water, looking around frantically only to stop on the equally wild eyes of Raihan. 

The arm that tugged his up now desperately holds onto his waist as they both fight desperately to stay afloat in the raging waters. 

“We-” Leon coughs as some water flies into his mouth. “We have to get back on land!”

“You don’t think I’m trying?” He can scarcely hear Raihan, but when he looks to the side he can see the teen feebly trying to grasp for any sort of purchase. But it’s not going to happen. The river is getting wider as they are getting swept away and neither of them can kick hard enough against the waters to get any closer to the bank. 

Leon turns to his side to see if he’s any closer, but _of goddamn course he wouldn’t b-_

Raihan has let him go. 

Leon turns back in alarm when he feels the arm around his waist slip away and feels himself grow cold when he sees Raihan limply hanging in the water. Glancing behind he can see a huge rock in the way of where they just where can see a bit of the water diluting red where Raihan’s head is.

_Shit._

_Shit. Shit! SHIT!_

Everything around Leon fades to black. There is nothing that matters more right now than getting to Raihan _right this second._

Leon isn’t in the right mindset to realize looking away is what got Raihan in the state he was in now. 

But he can’t think about it, can’t care about anything else because _Raihan is so close, he’s almost got h-_

Then the world fades to black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now here's where the real story begins (:<


End file.
